


Angel

by xtremeroswellian



Series: Before I Knew You [12]
Category: Roswell (TV 1999)
Genre: Alex Whitman is a good friend, Bullying, Friendship, Gen, Liz is stressed, Song fic, Teen girls are awful sometimes, Wishing on stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23815378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Set days before the pilot of the show, Max and Liz find themselves at a crossroads in their lives.
Relationships: Liz Parker & Maria Deluca & Alex Whitman, Liz Parker & Max Evans
Series: Before I Knew You [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714129
Kudos: 1





	Angel

"Hey, Lizzie. We need you to pick up a few more hours at the cafe. Jen just quit," Liz's mom informed her as she sat down at the breakfast table Tuesday morning. "We knew you could handle it even with your school work."

Liz bit her lip as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. She was already having trouble in geometry, and struggled every night with the day's assignment.

"That's okay, isn't it, Lizzie? We really need your help."

Liz forced herself to smile as she looked up at her mother, who was at the stove cooking eggs for Liz's dad. "Sure, Mom. No problem."

She turned back to the table, closed her eyes briefly, and poured milk onto her cereal. She'd just have to get less sleep each night. She could do it. No problem.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Max was at his locker when he caught sight of Liz coming down the hallway. It was almost as if she was the only one there. He stared at her, and as she came closer, he could see that she was tired. She'd been sick not long ago, and he worried that maybe she was feeling ill again.

If he had the guts, he'd go up and ask her about it.

Then he sighed and headed to class.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ms. Parker?"

Liz turned around and found herself facing the school guidance counselor, Ms. Presnall. "Yes?"

"I wanted to ask if you if you could mentor someone in English in your free time."

"I'd like to, but I really don't have a lot of time to--"

"It's just I have a freshman who's struggling with Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet-the whole Shakespeare unit, actually. And Mrs. Bugg recommended you for the mentoring program."

Liz bit her lip. She didn't fully understand either of those plays herself. "Umm...Yeah. I'll try to fit mentoring into my schedule."

Ms. Presnall smiled brightly. "Great. I knew you wouldn't let me down!" And with that, she turned and walked away.

Liz sighed and leaned her head against her locker for a moment. Then she grabbed her books out of it and hurried to geometry.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Max was surprised when Michael sat down beside him in geometry. "Michael. What are you doing here?"

Michael gave him a wry look and then looked across the room to where Liz was sitting. "I transferred in."

Max glanced him, glanced at Liz, and then looked back at Michael. "Why?"

"Thought someone needed to keep an eye on you, Maxwell. You're getting in over your head."

Max clenched his jaw and looked straight ahead.

Mr. Singer came into the room and began the lecture.

Max ignored the glare Michael was giving him as he turned his gaze to Liz. For some reason, she looked even more tired now than she did before. He frowned. Maybe he'd have the courage to ask her what was wrong in biology. He glanced at Michael. When I don't have any spies around to hear me ask, he thought.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Parker," Alex said as she met Liz outside of history.

"Oh, hey, Alex." She forced herself to smile.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately.

Liz blinked in surprise. "How do you do that?"

He gave her a lopsided grin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We've been friends for a long time, Liz."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm just tired, Alex. Mom wants me to take on more hours at the cafe and Ms. Presnall asked me to mentor one of the freshmen in English. And I'm like, already struggling in geometry. I'm too stupid to figure out the stupid proofs."

Alex frowned and glanced down at her in concern. She was near tears. "Hey, don't be so hard on yourself, Liz," he said gently. "If you need help in geometry, I'll help you any time you need it."

Liz looked up at him. "I don't want to waste your time, Alex," she said, shaking her head.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "You are not a waste of my time, got it? I'd be glad to help you. Besides, it's not like you haven't helped me in biology a billion times, remember?"

She smiled slightly. "Okay. Thank you."

He smiled back. "Don't mention it. See you at lunch?" he asked as he started towards his classroom.

"Yep."

Liz watched him go and then turned to go into biology.

Pam Troy bumped into her right then, knocking all of her books to the floor. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Liz!" she called as she sailed past her into the room. Liz could hear her laughing with her friends as she knelt down to pick up her things.

Liz bit her lip and gathered her books and folders and stood back up. She took a deep breath and walked into the bio lab, disappointed to see that Max wasn't there yet.

"You know, for being a waitress, you're balance sucks, Liz," Stacey Schenin commented as Liz sat down.

"Well, it doesn't matter, it's not like she's ever going into modeling or something," Pam remarked.

"That's because she's going to be a famous biologist who will no doubt make more money in one year than you'll ever make in your entire life time, Pam!" another voice snapped.

Liz looked up at Maria, who was glaring at Pam. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I was just going to let you know that I'm going home. My mom's sick and I'm going to go take care of her."

"Oh. Okay."

"Maybe she'll die," Pam whispered to Stacey loudly.

Liz turned around, her eyes flashing. "Shut up, Pam! Do you like hearing yourself talk? Because you're the only one!" she snapped angrily.

Pam stared at Liz, unable to respond, she was so shocked.

Liz turned back to Maria. "I hope your mom's okay. I'll tell Alex what's going on. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, thanks," Maria agreed. She leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. "Don't let her get to you, Lizzie."

Liz smiled. "Later."

Maria left just as Max came in. He frowned and then sat down next to Liz. "Everything okay?" he asked Liz quietly.

"Yeah, she's just leaving for the day. Her mom's sick."

"Oh." Max looked down at the lab table.

Ms. Hardy came into the room, glanced around, then walked over to Liz and Max's lab station. "Liz. How would you like to be treasurer for the biology club?" she asked quickly.

Liz's eyes widened. "I thought only juniors and seniors could hold offices."

"Usually that's true. But as I was looking over my grade books from the past two years, your scores have been higher than most of the upper class men. So what do you say? We meet Monday nights at 7."

"I'd love to!" Liz answered without hesitation.

Ms. Hardy smiled brightly. "Great!" She walked to the front of the class.

"Suck up," Pam muttered from behind them.

"Congratulations," Max whispered to her.

She smiled--the first real smile she'd worn all day--and Max's heart nearly melted right there. God, she was beautiful. "Thanks, Max."

He smiled back at her, unable to turn away from her. When she smiled, her whole face, especially her eyes, lit up. It was a more amazing and breath-taking sight than any national monument or scenic view.

He suddenly had a flash of the first time he'd seen her smile like that. It was the first day of school, third grade, and he stepped off the bus, Isabel pulling him along with her, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Liz. She smiled at him then, that same incredible smile that she had just shown him, and his heart had been hers ever since.

Max didn't get anything out of the biology lecture that day. But it didn't matter. Liz had smiled at him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liz tapped her pencil against her geometry book and sighed as she finally laid her head down on her desk. She wasn't going to complete the following day's assignment. That's all there was to it. She sighed and stood up, turning on her radio to her favorite channel--KROZ. She made sure the volume was down low since her parents were already in bed.

_"Spend all your time waiting  
For that second chance  
For a break that would make it okay  
There's always some reason  
To feel not good enough  
And it's hard at the end of the day..."_

Max sighed and stared at the clock on his bedside table. It was 1:30 in the morning and he hadn't been able to sleep. For some reason, he was feeling rather anxious, but he couldn't figure out why. He reached over and turned on his radio to KROZ and listened to Sarah McLachlan's beautiful voice.

_"I need some distraction  
Oh, beautiful release  
Memory seeps from my veins  
Let me be empty  
And weightless, and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight..."_

Liz pressed her face into her satin pillow and cried softly. She hated feeling this way. So lonely. And she didn't even have a reason to be lonely. She had Maria and Alex. And Kyle. But something was missing and she couldn't figure out what it was, only that it hurt more than anything she'd ever felt in her life.

_"In the arms of the angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark, cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here..."_

Max wasn't even aware he was crying until he felt the tears on his cheeks. He wasn't even sure why he was crying. It wasn't like being alone was anything new to him. Sure, he had Michael and Isabel, but he was so tired of being the one that was always in control, who always had everything on his shoulders. He couldn't tell them that. He loved them both, but sometimes he needed someone to lean on, too. He was so tired of keeping this secret, of not having anyone knowing who he really was. He just wanted someone to understand him, to love him for him.

_"So tired of this straight line  
That everywhere you turn  
There's vultures and thieves at your back  
The storm keeps on twisting  
Keep on building the lies  
That you make up for all that you lack..."_

She lacked so many things. She was always the one who was in control. Whenever her parents or anyone in her life had a problem, they turned to her to solve it. Usually Liz didn't mind. But she was tired. She was tired of having to deal with everyone else's problems and not having time to deal with her own. She was tired of Pam Troy always being nasty to her. And most of all, Liz was tired of no one really knowing who she was.

_"It don't make no difference  
Escaping one last time  
It's easier to believe  
That in this sweet madness  
Oh, this glorious sadness  
That brings me to my knees..."_

Max rolled out of bed, pulled open his curtains and stared up at the sky.

_"In the arms of the angel  
Fly away from here..."_

Liz climbed out onto her roof and leaned against the brick wall, staring up at the stars.

_"From this dark, cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear..."_

Max's eyes locked onto a brilliant star that shot across the sky. "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight..."

_"You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie..."_

"...I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight," Liz whispered as the star disappeared. She closed her eyes and made her wish.

_"You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here..."_

Max closed his eyes and made his wish.

_"You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here..."_


End file.
